Patrons of Italian Culture return from annual retreat
(Final in a series of articles)

The Patrons of Italian Culture Board of Directors and members returned from their ‘annual’ - 4 day Board Retreat full of wonderful memories and experiences. The 2011 retreat was held in San Jose, Ca. This, the third article in the series, describes their experiences and collaborations while in San Jose. During their annual retreats, the Patrons participate in local Italian community events, and this year was ‘extraordinary’, reports Paul Romano, Board President.

On day three, the Patrons enjoyed a unique ‘Venetian mask making’ event organized by Ken Borelli, President of the Italian American Heritage Foundation, and presented by Ms. Kathy Winkelman of the Gioia Company, of nearby Los Gatos. Gioia Company supports the local Italian American community by bringing their ‘hand-crafted’ treasures to many festivals and fund raising events.

The ‘hands-on’ experience was held at SJIAHF’s headquarters and featured Master Mask maker, Carla Almanza-de Quant. Mrs. De Quant, at the age of 20, studied and perfected her remarkable talents under Master Craftsman, Prof. Agostino Dessi of Florence, Italy, using the ‘ancient’ techniques of the 16th and 17th century. Over the years she has created her own unique style based on these ancient teachings.

Using ‘eco-friendly’ materials to create her Venetian masks, the Patrons were pleased to know that their own creations of art also help the planet.
Her visions start in her imagination, allowing her creations to magically come alive to create a wonderful piece of art, says Romano. Each member treasured their own mask creation and carefully carried them back to Los Angeles. Readers would do well to review the Gioia website @ www.gioiacompany.com for more information on this exciting art form.

In the afternoon the Patrons visited the historic Santa Clara University and were honored to have past-President, Fr. William “Bill” Rewak, S.J., give them a VIP tour. Fr. Bill started with a round table discussion of the history of the University steeped in Italian history. Santa Clara was first to open its doors to students in 1851 and is the state's first institution of higher educa- tion. Following a delightful Q & A period, the Patrons toured the famous rose garden and the old Mission itself, gaining much knowledge into its long and historic past.

Mission Santa Clara is the eighth of California missions and was selected on a site along the Guadalupe River. Natural disasters forced the early priests to relocate and rebuild the church on several occasions, moving it away from the river in 1784. This church suffered heavy damage in an 1818 earthquake and was replaced six years later by a new adobe edifice.

Beginning in the 1830s, the mission lands were repossessed in conjunction with Mexico's secularization and buildings fell into disrepair. In 1851 the Bishop of Monterey offered the site to Italian Jesuits, John Nobili and Michael Accolti, on the condition that they found a college for California's growing Catholic population.

Concluding the day’s events was a ‘very special’ visit to the winery-estate home of Linda and Bob Binkley in nearby Saratoga. What made this so special is the fact that, back in 1968, Linda was a recipient of a Patron’s scholarship to study in Italy. Linda was a student at San Diego State studying Italian literature. Her Professor, GianAngelo Vergani, suggested she applied for a summer study program in Florence that the Patrons were sponsoring.

“This opened the door and I walked through to my eternal pleasure”, recalled Linda, bubbling with enthusiasm. Linda now serves as Advisory Board member to the San Jose ‘I.A.’ Heritage Foundation and is a Commissioner on the Sister County Commission with Florence, Italy, where she studied for the three months during her scholarship.

“We were so pleased to visit a former beneficiary of a scholarship, given so long ago, and to see how that opportunity changed a life; a life now dedicated to the promotion of our Italian culture”, says Romano, who became instant friends with Linda and winemaker husband Bob. Another visit in 2012 is being discussed to coincide with San Jose’s Little Italy festival in August.

A wonderful wine tasting and tour of their vineyards and winery was followed by a spectacular dinner, featuring all home-made Italian specialties, all while overlooking the estate’s vineyards. Friends and members of the Heritage Foundation also attended and lively discussions followed throughout the evening.

For Membership application or more information about the Patrons of Italian Culture, and their 50 years of promoting Italian Culture throughout Southern California, contact them at: P .I.C., P .O. Box 3465, Burbank, Ca. 91508-3465. The P .I.C. is a non-profit 501c-3 Corporation

Paul Romano
contributor